Keyboard facsimile transmitter



June 6, 1944. w N M 2,350,855

KEYBOARD FACSIMILE TRANSMITTER Filed Aug. 8, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W QW ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 6, 1944 2,350,855 KEYBOARD FACSIMILE TRANSMITTER Kurt Winkelmann, Berlinvested in the Alien Zehlendorf, .Germanyi Property Custodian Application August 8, 1941, Serial No. 405,988

Germany December 30, 1939 7 Claims.

This invention relates to printing telegraph systems, and more particularly to telegraph systems and apparatus adapted to be operated under the control of key levers.

In telegraph systems involving apparatus for recording characters by a series of elemental areas of positive and negative surfaces, transmitting apparatus have been employed wherein each letter, symbol, or character is analyzed into a succession of constituent areas, and a code set of corresponding character embodiments are constructed, which embodiments then are selected under control of a keyboard. In accordance with such scanned or analyzed embodiments, electrical impulses are generated which cause corresponding operation of recording apparatus of the form disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,000,083 to form the characters in line.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a key transmitter having facilities for signal storage.

Another object of the invention isto provide a keyboard facsimile transmitter having a plurality of signal storage drums and means for controlling the movement of said drums from the key operated signal storing position to the constantly operating transmitting position.

The above and other objects of the invention are achieved through the provision of a novel keyboard mechanism for controlling sensing members associated with constantly rotating code discs, and a plurality of accumulator drums for permitting the simultaneous operation of both said keyboard and said scanning mechanisms. The transmitter may be so arranged that on each of several accumulator drums there may be accumulated a word or a vidual characters. Another feature of the invention permits-the providing of three accumulator drums which are rotatable about their own axes and in addition, can be swung about a common axis. These three accumulator drums may assume four positions, to the key operating position. Another corresponds to the scanning position and the two remaining are waiting positions which lie between the key striking or operating position and the scanning position. i

A better understanding of thepresent invention may be had from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which v Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view of the transmitter according to the present invention;

controlled facsimile telegraph large number of indione of which corresponds,

' peripheral surface of the drum face 3|, so as to cam or urge Fig. 2 is a view of the'accumulator drum according to the invention;

Fig. 3 is an end view, partially in section, of the accumulator drum; n

Fig. 4 is a schematic plan view of the transmitter; and

Fig. 5 is a view showing the advancingmechanism for the accumulator drums.

Having reference to Fig. l, a plurality of key levers II are pivotally mounted on a pivot rod l2, and are guided in their oscillatorymovement by a guide comb member l3. Extending underneath all of the key levers II is a universal bar H which is normally urged upwardly by springs ii. To the bar It is fastened a pawl i6, which is operable between two guides l1 and I8, and is under the influence of a leaf spring l9.

Pivotally articulated to each key lever II is one end of a link 2|, the other end of which is pivotally articulated to the horizontal arm of a bell crank lever 22. Bell crank levers 22 are pivoted on a common pivot rod 23. The levers 22 cooperate with the accumulator drums or storage devices 24, 25, and 26, and for this purpose, each of the levers 22 is provided with a projection 21.

The accumulator drums or 25, and 26 are provided with a plurality of rows of accumulator segments or elements 28, which are adapted to be slidable in longitudinal grooves 29 provided in the periphery of the body portions of the drums. Each provided with a beveled edge 3| which co-oper ates with the projection 21 of its associated bell crank 22, so that when the bell crank 22 is operated by its key lever ll, acamming action will result between projection 21 and the beveled surthe element 28 operated upon rightwardly (as viewed in Fig. 2) to indicate a selected position. There are provided as many accumulator segments 28 in each longitudinal row as there are key levers II. On the there are enough longitudinal rows of accumulator segments to provide for all possible words which may be accumulated on an accumulator drum assembly. In the specific embodiment shown, the accumulater drum has sixteBn such rows of segments. The segments 28 are held by detent pins 32 (Fig. 3) which extend into the notch 33. The segments 28 in their shifted position in the slot 25 designate or characterize the letters selected in that particular series or longitudinal row of segments. A comb 34 (Fig. 2) cooperating with the segments 28 may be used for returning the storage devices 24,

segments 26 to their normal position after the segments have beenscanned by the scanning drum 36. Comb 34 has teeth 36 which may engage with the side surfaces of the segment 26 at a certain angular position of the storage or accumulator drums 24, 26, or 26. Such position is indicated in Fig. 2 for a certain series of segments 26, only-the designated segment or selected segment is returned, while the other segments are already in their normal position.

As indicated in Fig. 1, the storage cylinders 24, 26, and 26- are not only rotatable about their own axes or shafts 31, 36, and 36, respectively, but are also capable of rotation, as will presently appear, about a central shaft 4|. Each accumulator drum 24, 26, or 26 may assume four positions; namely, a setting or selecting position indicated by the position of cylinder 24 in Fig. 1, awaiting position which is not shown by any drum in Fig. 1 but which would be the vacant position below shaft 4| to which the cylinder 24 indicated in Fig. 1 may be rotated. I The next position is the scanning position which is illustrated in Fig. 1 by the accumulator drum 26,-

and a waiting position which is assumed in ,Fig. 1 by the drum 26. Each of the drums 24, 26, and 26 are independently supported at their ends by a pair of supporting bars 42 and 43 rotatably mounted on the shaft 4|. Members 42 and 43 are held in proper spaced relation by a spacing member 44. Members 42 and 43 are freely rotatable on shaft 4|, which is fixedly carried in side frames 46 and 46. Drums 24, 26, and 26 carry in their ends sleeve members 41 and 46, which are slidable' therein, each of said sleeves having a flange 46 which cooperates with a camming member or guide 6| fixed to a sleeve 62 secured to the fixed shaft 4|. Normally, sleeves 41 and 46 are adapted by spring means (not shown) I to be pulled or retracted a predeterminedv extent into the drum portion 26 and by cooperation between the flanges 46 and cam guide 6|, as will presently appear, the sleeves 41 and 46 are adapted to be drawn out or extended against the action of its retractile spring to bring pin 63 .into cooperative engagement with portions 66, 66, 61 or of a disc member 64. The cam plate or guide 6| extends around sleeve 62 and is so conformed on the face thereof that sleeves 41 and 46 of the respective drums 24, 26 and 26 are held retracted'in the setting and scanning positions exemplified in Fig. -1 by drums 24 and 26, respectively, thus holding pins 63 out of engagement with disc 64. Moreover, the conformation of .cam guide 6| is such as to cause sleeves 41 and 46 to be extended in the waiting positions (exemplified by drum 26 in one waiting position) to bringplns 63 into cooperative engagement with portions 66, 66, 61 or 66 of disc 64.

Thus,-when disc 64 is rotated (in a manner hereinafter described), the drums 24, 26 or 26 which have their pins 63 projected into the path of portions", 66, 61 and 66 will be correspondingly revolved about shaft 4|. Since the portions 66, 66, 61 or 66 and pins 63 are in cooperative engagement with each other only in the waiting positions,.only those I 24, 26 and 26 which are in a waiting ition will be moved positively by portions 66, 66, 61 and 66. Hence, when there is another drum ahead of the drum. in a waiting position, supporting bars 42 and 43 of the drum in the waiting position willpress against the corresponding bars 42 and 43 of the next drum and will also carry this drum along. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the drum 26 in the upper waiting position will be positively driven by disc 64, while drum 24 in the setting position will be driven by drum 26.

Disc 64 of which there is one at each end of shaft 4| is loosely mounted on shaft 4| and coinprises a part of a Geneva movement. Disc 64 is provided on one face thereof with a series of cam portions 66, 66, 61, and 66 arranged 90 apart. (Figs. 4 and 5.) On the opposite face thereof disc 64 is provided with two channels 66 and 61 arranged at right angles to each other which cooperate with a stud 62 integral with a lever 63 fixed to a shaft 64 journaled in the side frames 46 and '46, respectively. Control lever 63 is integral with the driven portion 66 of a grab or toothed clutch indicated generally as 66, the driving portion 61 of which is fixed to the shaft 64. To the opposite end of shaft 64 is fixed a gear 66 which meshes with a gear 66 fixed to the shaft 1| on which the scanning drum 36 is carried. The driven clutch member 66 is provided with a cam portion 13 adapted to cooperate with a pin 14, which is carried by the side frame 46 in a manner not shown. As will presently appear, the scanning drum 36 is constantly rotating and hence gear 66 rotates contin uously as does the gear 66. Accordingly, the driving portion 66 of clutch 66 is constantly rotating. In a manner not shown, the pin 14 is adapted to be movedout of engagement with the cam portion 13 by the operation of the space key lever, thereby permitting the driven portion 66 under spring pressure to be urged leftwardly (as viewed in Fig. 4) into engagement with the driving portion 61, thus initiating rotation of the lever 63. Upon rotation of lever 63, the projection 62 thereon enters the groove 6| (Fig. 6) to cause the rotation of the disc 64 through 90". By this operation one of the cam portions 66, 66, 61, and 66 will cooperate with any of the pins 63 in the aforementioned waiting positions which are projected into the path thereof to cause the rotation of the accumulator drum associated therewith about the shaft 4| a distance of 0.

The transmitting drum 36 comprises a pinrality of scanning discs having their peripheries formed as shown in U. 8. Patent No. 2,000,083. of course, any equivalent method of providing alphabet patterns of conducting and insulating areas around the periphery may be employed. Associated with each disc on the transmitting drum 36 is a scanning contact or spring 16 which is secured to an insulating bar 16 and is continuously applied to the transmitting drum 36. Mounted on shaft 1| adjacent to the scanning cylinder 36 are a pair of similar cams 16 and 11 which cooperate respectively with follower levers 16 which are pivotally mounted on a shaft or pivot rod 6|. Levers 16 are normally biased into contactual engagement with their respective cams 11 or 16 by biasing springs 62.

Accordingly, levers 16 follow the contour of their cams 16 or 11 for each revolution of the scanning drum 36. The levers 16 are connected to each other by an insulating bar 63. Carried on the insulating bar 63 are a plurality of pairs of contact spring members 64 and 66, one pair for each scanning disc on the transmitting drum 36. When the levers 16 are swung clockwise by their cams 16 and 11, a projection 66 is brought against the operated segment 26 of the corresponding accumulator drum and contacts 64 and 66 are closed so that the selected symbol is transmitted.

The operation of the device according to the present invention is as follows: At the beginning of the transmitting cycle or process, one of the drums 24, 25, or 26 is in the setting or selecting position, which in the present instance is exemplifled by drum 24. Drum 24 is detented or maintained in the position shown by detent means not shown. In Fig. 1 the key lever II is shown in its depressed or operated position. Thus, when the key lever is depressed from the normal dotted line position to the solid line position, it acts through link 2| to rotate bell crank 22 about pivot 23 to bring the projection 21 against the sloping surface 3| of the element 28 in register therewith, to cause the element 28 to be shifted, rightwardly, as indicated in Fig. 2, thus producing the space 29, and placing the element 28 in the proper position for operating the scanning contacts 84 and 85, as will presently appear.

Simultaneously, the universal bar I4 is lowered against the compressive action of springs l5, thus bringing the pawl member l6 into cooperative relation with the ratchet 81 associated with the drum 24. Upon its release, the key lever is raised to its dotted line position by the spring l5, through the instrumentality of bar I4. Also, through link 2| bell crank 22 is rotated clockwise to bring the projection 21 out of engagement with the element 28 which it has just operated. At the same time,

pawl I6 is raised, and being guided by the members l1 and 18, it engages a tooth on the ratchet 81 to rotate the drum 24 counter-clockwise one angular step, bringing the next row of elements 28 into cooperative relation with the alignment of projections 28 on the series of bell cranks 22. Then upon another operation of a key lever ii, an element 28 is shifted to its operative position by the associated bell crank 22.

Thus, it is seen that upon successive operations of the key lever Ii one element in each row is selected, representing one letter of a word in the present instance. According to the specific embodiment shown, there are sixteen rows of elements 28, thereby enabling the setting on a cylinder of words up to sixteen characters in length. After setting up a word on a cylinder or drum, such as 24, the space key is operated which acts to disengage the pin 14 (Fig. 4) from the cam surface 13 of the clutch 66, thus permitting engagement of the driving portion 61 with the driven portion 65 thereon to cause the control lever 63 to rotate, whereby, through pin 64 and grooves 59 or 6i, the disc 54 is rotated 90. In this manner, after releasing the detent for the cylinder or drum 24 (not shown), the drum 24 is rotated clockwise about the shaftJl, a distance 0690" into the lower waiting position. At the same time, the drum 25 in the upper waiting position may be rotated to the setting position and if the drum 26 in the scanning position has completed the transmission of the word set up therein, it may be moved to the upper waiting position. The drum 24 may then be moved to the scanning position which is that position exemplified in Fig. 1 by the drum 26. The cylinders or drums 24, 25, and 26 are provided internally thereof with a spring (not shown) whereby as the scanning cylinders or drums 24, 25, 26 are rotated step by step, the spring is wound up so that after the cylinders are transferred from one position to another, they are automatically returned to the zero or beginning-of-word position.

Thus, upon movement of drum 24 into the lower waiting position, the holding pawl which has held the accumulator drum against counter-rotation is released (in a manner not shown), to permit drum. 24 to rotate about shaft 81 back to its zero position. Disc 54 always rotates when no accumulator drum is .scanned" in the scanning position, because pin I4 as a function of the segment corresponding to the space symbol releases the clutch 66 for operation until an accumulator drum has been swung or advanced into the scanning position. Upon swinging accumulator drum 24 into the lower waiting position, the flanges 48 slide against the fixed cam guide plate 5|. Sleeves 41 and 48 are moved or pulled outwardly by the conformation of guide 6| thereby placing its retractile spring under tension and moves its pin 53 outwardly. The accumulator drum 24 upon movement of disc 54 is rotated another 90. The accumulator drum 26 is carried I along, and from the scanning position it reaches the upper waiting position. Now, the accumulator drum 24 is in the scanning position. By a device not shown, coupling of clutch 66 is accomplished at the moment when the transmitting drum 86 is in its zero position so that at the moment when an accumulator drum 24, 25 or 26 is swung into the scanning position, the contacts -84 and are held, by the action of spring 82 upon lever I8, in their open or leftward position, thus holding projection 86 out of the path of elements 28.

The setting of additional words or text may take place on drums 25 and 26 while the words or text accumulated on drum 24 is transmitted by the transmitting drum 35. The transmitting drum 35 rotates, and through levers 18, against the action of spring 82, the bar 83 moves contact members 84 and 85 against the drum 24, 25, or 26 in the scanning position. At the point at which a segment 28 is selectively displaced, the projection 86 is applied against this segment so that the contacts are closed and the corresponding symbol is transmitted. At the end of the cycle of rotation of cam 11, levers 18 are actuated counterclockwise by springs 82, whereby projection 86 is lifted away from the segment 28 of the drum in the scanning position, and accordingly the contacts 84 and 85 are opened, and in a manner not shown, drum 26 is advanced or rotated on its shaft 39 by one tooth by means of the pawl 81 and is held counter to the action of the windup spring by a holding pawl not shown. process is repeated as long as accumulated symbols are present on the drum 26. As soon as the space symbol on the drum 26 has been scanned, however, the pawl 81, in a manner not shown, is made to disengage, and the coupling 66 is engaged so that the disc 54 of the Geneva movement is "'advanced through 90.

When the drum 26, for example, is swung out of the scamiing position into the upper waiting position, the comb member 34 is operated so that when the drum turns back to its zero position, element 28 can be set back by the teeth 36. When the adjustment or selection takes place so rapidly that no drum 24, 25, or 26 is in the waiting position, exemplified in Fig. 1 by the drum 25, a key block or looking arrangement of familiar type is actuated in a manner not shown by means of which the keys I l are blocked until a drum is ready for adjusting or setting.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described herein, it will be understood that the apparatus is capable of many modifications, and it is contemplated that all changes which come within the range and scope of equivalency are intended to be embraced within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a telegraph transmitter, a keyboard mechanism, a storage device having a plurality of sets of storage elements, each element corresponding to a letter of the alphabet, means responsive to the actuation of any key to displace one element of one set of storage elements tostore the corresponding letter, and means also responsive to the actuation of the key for moving the storage device to bring another set of storage elements into operative relation with said mechanism.

, 2. In a telegraph transmitter, transmitting mechanism including a plurality of circuit closers each corresponding to a letter of the alphabet, a storage device having a plurality of sets of storage elements, each element corresponding to a letter of the alphabet, means for storing a word on said device by displacing one element in each of a plurality of sets, means for associating said device with said transmitting mechanism, means for bringing said sets of storage elements successively into operative relation with said circuit closers, and means cooperating with displaced elements of said sets to control said circuit closers to transmit the letters of the stored word.

3. A telegraph device, a plurality of s gnal registering assemblies, each comprising a plurality of signal registering units, means for moving the units of each assembly in a step by step manner to present the units successively for the registration of separate signals thereon, means for movof signal registering units, means for rotating each drum, in a step by step manner to present the units successively for the registration oi separate signals thereon, means for rotating the drum in a step by step manner to present individual units successively for the reception of signals thereon, means for-rotating said drum about an axis outside of the drum, said ineans moving each drum from a signal receiving position and thence to a signal sending position and means for rotating the drum in a step by step manner, while at the sending position, for presenting individual units successively forthe sending of the signals registered thereon.

5. The telegraph device as set forth in claim 4, wherein such device includes a registering keyboard and a sending mechanism and wherein each drum is provided with a ratchet and two operating means are provided, each having a pawl adapted to engage the ratchet for turning the drum, one operating means being associated with the keyboard and operated by the release of a registering key and the other being associated with the sending mechanism and operable thereby on completion of the sending of the signal.

6. Thedevice as claimed in claim 4 wherein each unit comprises a longitudinal series of spaced members mounted on the periphery of the 

